Brian Daboll’s last stand lasted 10 games.
The New York Giants fired their head coach on Monday, according to multiple reports, following another significant fourth-quarter collapse in a 24-20 loss to the Chicago Bears, which dropped their record to 2-8.
“We spoke this morning about the direction of our franchise on the field, and we have decided that, at this time, it is in our best interest to make a change at the head coaching position,” co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch said in a joint statement. “The past few seasons have been nothing short of disappointing, and we have not met our expectations for this franchise. We understand the frustrations of our fans, and we will work to deliver a significantly improved product.”
Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will step in as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. No other changes to the coaching staff are expected.
Mara made it clear, following a disastrous 3-14 campaign in 2024, that this would be Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen’s last chance to prove they can stick with the organization. Now that Daboll is gone, Schoen is out of scapegoats, as a ceaselessly retooling roster has been sabotaged by Big Blue’s leadership.
Following an 0-3 start with veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, a desperate Daboll turned to rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who, alongside fellow rookie running back Cam Skattebo, revitalized the Giants with two wins in their next three games.
But star wide receiver Malik Nabers got hurt in Week 4, and any momentum gained by those two wins was sapped by Daboll and his coaching staff, specifically defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. The Giants coughed up a 19-0 fourth-quarter lead in a Week 7 loss to the Denver Broncos, lost Skattebo for the year with a dislocated ankle the following week, then watched as Daboll tried to run Dart into the turf in an unwinnable game against the San Francisco 49ers.
What finally was the straw that broke the camel’s back was Sunday’s loss in Chicago, which saw Dart go down with a concussion after repeated irresponsible usage. The Bears responded by scoring 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, delivering New York a fourth-straight loss.
After going 9-7-1 with a playoff appearance in his first year as head coach, Daboll went 11-33 as Giants head coach over the next three years. Along the way, he burned bridges with potential franchise cornerstones, who are now enjoying life amidst far greener pastures. Daboll and Schoen practically showed running back Saquon Barkley the door two offseasons ago, and he proceeded to rush for 2,000 yards and win a Super Bowl with the arch-rival Philadelphia Eagles.
Quarterback Daniel Jones, who was stuck in a heinous offensive scheme and an even worse offensive line, was cut last season, and now is starring for an up-and-coming Indianapolis Colts team that is 8-2 this season.
Kafka, stepping in for Daboll, will now get his first extended taste of head-coaching at the NFL level. The 38-year-old has been considered an up-and-coming coaching candidate in recent years. He was pursued by the Seattle Seahawks two winters ago and was interviewed for both the New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans jobs earlier this year.
